Quiz: Can You Ace This 1950s Car Quiz in 6 Minutes?: HowStuffWorks

Can You Ace This 1950s Car Quiz in 6 Minutes?

AUTO

By: John Miller

6 Min Quiz

Image: wbritten / E+ / Getty Images

About This Quiz

It’s hard to imagine these days, but in February 1942, the United States ended all consumer automobile production. The factories that had, just weeks earlier, been cranking out sedans and convertibles were quickly converted to wartime makers of tanks, airplanes, jeeps, bombs and firearms. Once the Allies won World War II in 1945, car companies retooled again, reinventing their vehicles to satisfy Americans’ new tastes and booming wealth. This quiz is where the rubber meets the road — how much do you really know about the cars of the 1950s?

It’s been the better part of a century since the '50s and, back then, cars were very different creatures. They were mostly big, heavy, gas-guzzling contraptions loaded with chrome and wild fixtures like broad tails, big lights and aggressive lines that still seemed futuristic in many ways. Do you remember the flashiest and most expensive cars of this decade? Ford and Chevy competed to become America’s top manufacturer. Cadillac fussed over high-end details. The Chrysler New Yorker and Buick Super were fantastic cars. And nearly forgotten brands like Edsel and Studebaker were still on the road, their fates unwritten.

Try not to crash and burn as you veer towards the on-ramp of this ‘50s car quiz!

Wiki Commons by That Hartford Guy

In 1952, GM introduced the Autronic Eye in some of their models. What did the Autronic Eye do?

Braked in response to obstacles

Automatically dimmed the headlights

Steered the car

In '52, GM began equipping Cadillac and Oldsmobile models with the Autronic Eye, with other divisions of the company offering it the following year. It had a light-sensing phototube that automatically dimmed the vehicle's high beams in response to oncoming traffic.

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Wiki Commons by Don O'Brien

Before it was a bulky van in the '70s, what was the Chevrolet Nomad?

Sports car

Station wagon

SUV

Introduced in 1955, the Chevrolet Nomad was a station wagon produced intermittently from '55 to '72. The best-known version of the big car, the Tri-Five, had just two doors.

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Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdinger

Whose cars came with the TorqueFlite automatic transmission, which used a torque converter and the Simpson gearset together?

Nash

Chrysler

Chevy

In 1956, Chrysler developed the TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission, phasing out its two-speed PowerFlite transmission. It soon began equipping some of its cars — like the big New Yorker — with TorqueFlite. That particular car also boasted a massive 325 hp engine.

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Wiki Commons by Mr.choppers

The Powerglide transmission, one of the first affordable automatics available, was launched in 1950. Which company introduced it?

Edsel

Chevrolet

Oldsmobile

Designed by GM, Powerglide, a two-speed automatic transmission, was introduced in higher-end Chevrolet models in 1950. It was quickly added to other models and by mid-decade more than half of all new Chevrolets sold offered Powerglide. The Powerglide was the industry's first affordable automatic transmission for consumer cars.

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Wiki Commons by GPS 56

A step up from the plain Ranger model, the rare Pacer was sold under which brand?

Buick

Edsel

Chevy

Ford's Edsel sold its Pacer in 1958 … and only 1958. All of the Edsels were total flops, and the Pacer was no exception, even when equipped with a big V8 engine that generated more than 300 hp.

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Wiki Commons by Jeremy

Designed as a second car for the family, what was special about the Nash Metropolitan?

It only came in black.

It was a compact car.

It had run-flat tires.

At a time when cars seemed to get bigger and bigger each year, the Nash Metropolitan was a contrarian. Designed as "the family's second vehicle," the "economy" car was made from '53 to '61.

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Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdinger

What was an unmistakable feature of the 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville?

Tiny headlights

Huge sharp tailfins

Ornate hood ornament

The 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville had crazy-huge tailfins. The fins had big, protruding bullet taillights for a racy effect, giving this car a truly iconic look that the '61 redesign toned down quite a bit.

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Wiki Commons by Michael Barera

Inspired by gas rationing during WWII, what market niche was the American manufacturer Crosley known for?

Off-road vehicles

Subcompact cars

Farm trucks

Based in Ohio, Crosley started making subcompact cars in the late 1930s, and maintained production until the early '50s. Some of the cars were so small they could be mistaken for golf carts.

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Wiki Commons by Jeremy

Famous worldwide for its performance on the racetrack, which company made the 1950s Hornet?

Ford

Hudson

Crosley

In the 1950s, the Fabulous Hudson Hornet was known for its low center of gravity, which made it very good for racing. This car is one of the greats to come out of Detroit, Michigan.

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Wiki Commons by Sicnag

Oldsmobile was known for making a model called the _____, originally launched in 1952.

3

98

1812

The Oldsmobile 98 is still one of the mid-20th century's best-known cars. One of the brand's most important models, the 98 was a top-of-the-line car with all the trimmings.

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Wiki Commons by Rex Gray

The slick convertible Roadmaster Skylark was made by which company?

Aston Martin

Ford

Buick

The Buick Roadmaster Skylark of the '50s was no ordinary Buick — it was a decked-out convertible. It had a Nailhead V8 engine and came fully loaded … a fact reflected by its very high price.

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Wiki Commons by Usien

Initially running from 1955 until 1997, the Ford Thunderbird was meant to be a direct competitor to which vehicle?

Austin A30

Chevy Corvette

Desoto 1952

Ford scored a hit with its big Thunderbird. Although it was originally designed to compete against the Chevrolet Corvette, a rear seat was added as part of the vehicle's second generation redesign in 1958 and it was marketed as a "personal luxury car," rather than a "sports car," and sales skyrocketed.

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Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdinger

Do you remember this car whose production ended in 1958? The Super was a full-sized car from _____.

Aston Martin

Crosley

Buick

From 1940 to 1958 (except during the WWII), the Buick Super was popular on America's highways. Unlike the angular designs that many cars of the day had, the Super was curvier, sometimes with a slanted backside that made it look faster.

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Wiki Commons by Chevrolet pre-1978

Which brand made an ultra-famous car in 1957 that shared its name with the company?

Chevy

Studebaker

Chrysler

In 1957, Chevy unleashed what became one of its most iconic models — the '57 Chevy. It is easily one of the most recognizable cars of the 20th century, featured in movies, commercials and a whole lot more.

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Wiki Commons by Nimmerya

In 1959, Buick began making a full-size luxury car with which exciting name?

Electra

Camaro

New Yorker

When it debuted in '59, the Buick Electra had funky rear "Delta-Fins" at a 45-degree angle. When paired with its recessed tail lights, it looked a lot like a very angry metal giant from behind.

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Wiki Commons by Stefan Krause

BMW made fewer than 300 of these before pulling the whole project. What kind of vehicle was the 507?

Pickup truck

Luxury sedan

Roadster

The BMW 507, made from '56 to '59, was a snappy roadster. Built in Germany, it was originally intended to be exported to the U.S. It turned out to be a horribly expensive project however — one that BMW ended after making fewer than 300 cars.

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Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdinger

With its third, fourth, fifth, and sixth generations running during the '50s, the Series 62 was a luxurious full-sized car from which company?

Cadillac

Buick

Ford

Cadillac made its luxurious Series 62 from 1940 until 1964. Mid-'50s versions got noticeably sleeker and lower, and they had prominent window reveal molding. The Series 62 reached its peak in 1956, accounting for more than 86% of all Cadillacs sold.

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Wiki Commons by Entheta

In 1949, which company unveiled its Coupe de Ville which ran throughout the '50s?

Buick

Chevy

Cadillac

Originally a trim level for the 1949 Cadillac Series 62, the Coupe de Ville — and its 1956 sister series, the Sedan de Ville — were made a separate series in 1959. The final Coupe de Villes rolled off the assembly lines in the 1993 model year, and the last DeVille hit the streets in 2005, replaced by the Cadillac DTS.

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Wiki Commons by GerdeeX

True or false: The Ford Mustang was introduced in the 1950s.

True

False

The Mustang helped spark the muscle car revolution of the 1960s. The first generation didn't roll off production lines until 1964.

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Wiki Commons by GPS 56

In 1958, which company began making the completely doomed Edsel automobiles?

Ford

Chrysler

Studebaker

Named for Henry Ford's son, Ford began making Edsel-branded cars for the 1958 model year. The cars' strange styling immediately turned off reviewers and the disastrous marketing of the line is widely regarded as how NOT to market a product. Edsel wound up costing the company an estimated $250 million dollars (nearly $2 billion adjusted to today's dollars) with some estimates rising as high at $400 million.

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Giving NASCAR drivers a significant advantage over the smaller 265, the Super Turbo Fire V8 (AKA the 283) was an option in which brand's cars?

Crosley

Chevy

Saturn

In 1955, Chevy began offering its now-legendary small-block V8 engine, the Turbo Fire V8. Two years later, the high-performance version of this V8 was released. The 283, aka the "Super Turbo Fire V8," was a favorite of hot rodders.

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Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdinger

Known for having the first pop-up headlights in North American markets, DeSoto cars were made by which parent company?

Chrysler

Ford

Pontiac

From 1929 to 1961, Chrysler made its popular DeSoto cars, including the Firedome, Fireflite and Firesweep models. DeSoto cars were eventually discontinued when Chrysler faced financial troubles in the '60s thanks to the 1958 recession and a weakened network of Chrysler dealer networks.

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Wiki Commons by Don O'Brien

Which American manufacturer beat out Ford for the highest number of units sold in the 1950s?

Chevrolet

Oldsmobile

Buick

Chevrolet sold over 13 million vehicles during the 1950s, beating out Ford by more than 1 million cars sold. With no where near this number of units sold, third place belongs to Plymouth with over 5.5 million vehicles sold in the fifties.

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Which of these car companies sold the most vehicles in the 1950s?

Ford

Chevy

Dodge

In the 1950s, Chevy was tops in sales with more than 13 million cars sold, winning the auto boom race. Ford was nearly neck-and-neck with Chevy, with almost 12.3 million sold. Plymouth came in third with 5.6 million. Buick (4.8 million) and Oldsmobile (3.7 million) rounded out the top five.

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Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdinger

What is featured on the flashy hood ornament of the iconic Nash Metropolitan Series III?

A seashell

A chrome woman

A rattlesnake

The Series III featured an elegant chrome woman — the "Flying Lady" — as its hood ornament. It was easily one of the flashiest hood ornaments of the decade.

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Wiki Commons by Charles01

The Buick LeSabre wasn't the first of its name, but it was the first regular production vehicle of its name. When did it debut?

1951

1959

1955

While there was a concept car with the same name made by General Motors in 1951, the first generation of the Buick LeSabre was introduced in 1959. It underwent major restyling the next year, and the next generation of this full-size car was again revamped and rolled out in 1961. The line lasted until the end of its eighth generation in 2005.

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Wiki Commons by order_242

Replaced in 1958 by the Delray, the Chevrolet One-Fifty was mostly made for which market?

High-end luxury

Fleet

Military

In the mid-'50s, the Chevrolet 150 was an economy variant meant for fleets, although it was a popular police car too. Because of this, GM didn't spend much time or money advertising it to the mass market.

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Wiki Commons by Kevauto

How many cylinders would you expect in a Chrysler Saratoga?

6-cylinders

4-cylinders

8-cylinders

The Chrysler Saratoga line got its start in 1939, and it was made intermittently until 1960 for the U.S. market (1965 in Canada). Late in its run, it was positioned between the company's Windsor and the top-end New Yorker. The line was revived from 1989 through 1995.

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While seatbelts were optional features in Nash and Ford models, which foreign manufacturer made seatbelts standard in their vehicles?

Volkswagen

Saab

Citroën

Swedish inventor Nils Bohlin worked for Volvo and came up with the three-point safety belt that we use in vehicles today. This improved belt was introduced to Volvo as standard equipment in 1959, four years after Saab made safety belts standard in 1955.

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Wiki Commons by Frank Schulenburg

Originally launched as a convertible that did not have a detachable roof, what one trait defined the entire Chevy Bel Air line?

It was truly ugly.

It was luxurious.

It was economic.

Started in 1950, the first two years of Bel Airs referred to a unique body shape (a two-door hardtop, as opposed to the Styleline and Fleetline models). In 1953, the name was changed to denote a top-of-the-line trim level for many body styles. Premium Bel Air models were equipped with all the extras, loaded to meet the demands of people who wanted a fancy Chevy.

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Which company began making the B and RB big-block engines in 1958?

Chevy

Chrysler

Cadillac

In 1958, Chrysler began cranking out its B and RB big-block engines to replace their FirePower series. These big engines range from 5.7 L versions to 7.2 L monsters.

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Wiki Commons by Kowloonese

The Blue Flame Six was an engine "with perfect combustion" that went into cars from which company?

Chevy

Buick

Nash

Chevy's Blue Flame Six, an evolution of the Blue Flame straight-6 engine first developed in 1929, was essentially an interim engine — a V6 meant to hold the line while Chevy made a new small-block V8 masterpiece. The Blue Flames wound up in many Corvettes, and the very first ones topped out at 150 hp.

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What inspired carmakers to experiment with car body materials outside of strong metals?

WWII gas rationing

The Korean Conflict

The Civil Rights Act

While most cars before the fifties were made from heavy steel, car makers started to look for lighter and less expensive alternatives during the Korean Conflict of 1950-1952. Some manufacturers experimented with wood, aluminum, magnesium, and some fiberglasses, and in 1953 Chevy produced 300 Corvettes with fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) panels as the biggest application of these experiments at the time.

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Wiki Commons by sv1ambo

Which company created its own phonograph for its luxury line of cars, complete with proprietary seven-inch records?

Cadillac

AMC

Chrysler

Called the Highway Hi-Fi, Chrysler debuted this in their luxury cars just one year before having transistor radios as an option in their vehicles. The Highway Hi-Fi was not a popular source of entertainment, and it was quickly discontinued.

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What year of the 1950s had the lowest number of North American vehicles produced?

1951

1955

1958

Surprisingly, the '50s did not see steady growth for manufacturing vehicles. The peak of manufacturing hit in 1955 with over 9.6 million cars made in America, but declined to a low of less than 6 million made in 1958.

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